Frank mansfield



(No Model.)

F. 'MANSF-IELD. ELECTRIC SWITCH ECE ELECTRIC EAILWAYS.

No. 450,172. PatCntedAprVlll, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANK MANSFIELD, OF NE W YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,172, dated April 14, 1891. Application filed November 18, 1890.' Serial No. 371,822. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MANSFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New .York, county and State of New York, have lnvented certain new and useful Improve ments in Electric Switches for Electric Railways, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication.

My invention relates to an electric switch for connecting and disconnecting the branch conductors of an electric-railway system with the main conductor thereof, and it is more especially designed and adapted for use with the system of electric railways described and shown in United States patents granted to Ine July 22, 1890, and numbered 432,673, 432,674, and 432,675.

The invention consists in the novel form of switch and water-tight switch-box, all as hereinafter more fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, and in which like letters and numbers of reference indicate like parts throughout, Figure'l is a view of my novel form of switch, the top of the switch-box being removed, so as to expose the various parts of the switch, and the pick-up arm or lever by which the switch is operated being shown in part and in elevated position, under which condition the switch is closed. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the switch, the switch-box, and the operating pick-up lever, together with its casing, the switch being shown in closed condition and the plane of the section' being indicated by line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the casing of the operating pick-up lever, the lever being shown in elevated position. Fig. 4 is a detailed view in section of parts of the apparatus hereinafter referred to.

Referring tothe drawings, G designates a casing made of any suitable metal or material and formed with a chamber 7, in which swings the pick-up arm or lever 8, by which is operated the switch connecting the branch conductor with the main. The pick-up lever S, which may be made of wood or any other suitable material, is swung on a shaft 9 by means of the flanged sleeve 10. In case the pick-up lever should be made of a lmaterial that would have to be insulated from the shaft 9. the sleeve 10 .may be made of suitable insulating material, and may also serve to pre- 'vent water from working its way along the shaft toward theswitch-box. The piek-np lever S is made fast to the shaft 9, which turns in its bearings formed in the casing, and is designed and adapted to be moved 1n and out of the opening 11 of the chamber 7,

and it consists, in general, in a broad flat plate, which may be elevated into the position shown in the drawings in order to close the switch and may be lowered so that its upper edge may lie in about the same plane or be flush with the upper part of the casing 6. The pick-np lever by its own weight will gravitate into the lowest position when free to do so,

the switch under this condition being open,

as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Upon the 4free end of the pick-up lever 8 is.

fixed a contact-piece 12, with which is connected an insulated branch conductor d, which, through means of the switch hereinafter to be described, is connected with another portion of the branch conductor b, which leads to an ordinary main conductor. (Not shown.) The branch conductor o, is suitably secured to the pick-up lever and extends along the same from the contact 12 to the shaft 9, passthe insulating-plug 15 into the recess 14 ofl the shaft 9, thence through an opening 18 in said shaft to and through an opening 1 9 in the hub or collar 2O of the switch-boxv 21, and

thence to the main conductor before referred.

to, the switch-box being secured 'upon the end of the shaft 9 by means of the screw 22, soas to turn with the shaft. This switch-box 21 is a hollow drum, theinnerface of which is provided with a hub or tubular projection 20, by means of which it may be fitted upon the'end of the shaft 9.

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The other 'side of the switchin full and dottedlines in Fig. 1.

box is removable, consist-ing in a circular plate 23, which is detachably secured upon the box by means of screws 24, a water-tight joint being formed between the cover and the boX. A washer40 is placed between the ends of the collar 20 of the switch-box and the ii ange atl of the bearingof the shaft 9 in the casing (i, so as to form a water-tight joint. The switch-box is inclosed above and at two sides thereof by means ot' t-he bracket or housing 25, which is secured upon the` casing 6, being either cast therewith or made separate therefrom and secured to the casing by any suitable means.

Vithin the switch-box 21 is mounted a fixed shaft or stud 17, which is secured by screws 26 to an insulating-plate 27, made fast to thev inner side of the switch-box by the screws 2S. Upon the shaft 17 is swung a pendulous circuit-completing arm 29, which is adapted to swing back and forth between the positions indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1 in response to the movements of the pick-up lever 8. This arm 29 swings on a center eccentric to the center upon which the pick-up lever turns, so that the movements of the latter may translate or carry the arm back and forth within the limits of movementindicated The end of the arm 29 is provided with a suitable weight 30 for causing it to swing freely and quickly, so as to make and break contact with a snap action. The contact or terminal plate 31 is secured to the pendulum 29 by a bolt 32, andit makes contact with a similar contact 33, which is secured by means of a setscrew 35 upon the binding-post 34, which is mounted upon an insulating-plate 36, located upon'the side of the switch-box eccentric to the axis about which the pick-up lever S turns. The post 34, carrying the contact 33, is electrically connected with the bindingpost 16 through means of the branch conductor a. The contacts 31 and 33 are adjusted relatively so that their ends come atly together when the switch is closed, as shown in the drawings. These contacts may be adj usted or set in proper position by means of the screws by which they are mounted.

In order to insure good electric connection between the shaft 17 and the pendulum 29, which swings thereon, I provide the arm with a spring-platef37, which is attached thereto atone end by the screw 38 .and has its other end pierced by a screw 39, fastened in the end of the shaft 17. The path of the circuit from the contact 12 to the main conductor, which is in this class of railways usually buried in the road-bed and suitably insulated, is by the insulated branch l) to shaft 17, the swinging arm or pendulum 29, contacts 31 and 33, post 34', and branch conductor ct to contact 12 upon the end of the pick-up arm 8. In the use of this device in the way Iintend to apply it in my system of electric railways the casing Gis placed in the ground, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that the top thereof comes flush with the surface of the road. The casing may be parallel with the rails of the track or at right angles thereto, according to the character of the pick-up arm 8 and its contact device 12. In the present construction the casing` 6 is placed lengthwise of the track-that is,parallel thereto-so that the pick-up device carried by the car (which is not shown) may strike the contact 12 of the swinging lever 8 and elevate the latter, so as to close the switch, and thereby connect the brauch conductors with the main. When the pick-up leverS is in its lowest position, the switch is open, so that the contacts 33 and 31 are moved apart, under which condition the said contacts and the pendulum 29 are in the positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. As the lever 8 is gradually elevated the contacts 31 and 33 and the arm 29, carrying one of the same, are moved gradually from the dotted-line positions into the full-line positions, so that by the time the pick-up lever 8 is elevated to its highest point of movement the contacts 31 and 33 of the switch will be into its highest position, when it will be above` the level of any ordinary surface-water, the circuit between the main conductor and the contact device on the car is insured against short-circuiting by surface-water. By virtue of having the contact 33 and the swinging contact-arm 29 mounted eccentrically to the axis about which the pick-up lever 8 swings both of the contacts 33 and 31 are given a translatory movement, and thereby moved far apart when the switch is opened, as will be readily understood from Fig. 1.

Having thus described my improvements in electric switches for connecting the branch conductors of an electric railway with the main conductor thereof, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. In an electric switch, the combination, with a swinging operating-lever and a switch boX or plate moving in xed relation therewith,vof contacts arranged upon said box or plate eccentrically to the center of movement 0f the operating-lever` whereby the movement of said lever in one direction may serve to close the contacts and the movement thereof in the opposite direction may serve to open the contacts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an electric switch, the combination, with a swinging operating-lever and a switch box or plate moving in fixed relation therewith, of a IiXed contact and a swinging contactmounted upon said box or plate eccentrically to the center of motion of the said lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

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3. In an electric switch, the combination, with an operating-lever and a switch box or plate moving in fixed relation therewith, of a fixed contact disposed upon said box or plate eccentrically to the center of motion of the said lever and a swinging Contact also mount-- ed eccentrically to the center of motion of the said lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an electric-railway switch, the colnbination, with a swinging pick-up lever and a shaft turning therewith, of a switch-box secured to t-he said shaft so as to turn therewith, and a branch conductor leading from the main through the switch-box to the pick-up lever and provided with contacts within the switch-box for making and breaking the circuit in response to the movements of the pick-up lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric railway, the combination, with a swinging pick-up lever and a shaft turning therewith, of a switch-box secured to and moving with said shaft, and a branch conductor leading from the main through the switch-box to the pick-up lever and provided with contacts within the switch-box for making and breaking the circuit, the said contacts mounted eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the switch-box, one of said contacts being mounted, so as to swing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

(5. In an electric railway, the combination, with a swinging pick-up lever and a shaft therefor with which it turns, of a switch having a switch-box mounted upon one end of the shaft, so as to move therewith, and a branch conductor leading` from the main through the switch-box and to the said lever and extending through the shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an electric railway, the combination, with a swinging pick-up level' and a shaft therefor with which it turns, the said shaft being recessed or hollowed out at one end, of a switch having the switch-box secured to the recessed end of the shaft and rotating therewith, and a branch conductor leading from a main and extending into the shaft to the recess thereof through the same into the switch-box, thence out of the switch-box through the recess, and thence out of the shaft to the pick-up lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an electric railway, the combination, with a pick-up lever 8, provided with a contact, such as 12, and mounted fast upon a shaft 9, of a switch-box secured to said shaft and turning therewith, a switch within said box which is opened and closed by the movements of the same, and a branch conductor leading from the main through the switch-box to the pick-u p lever and having the said switch located therein, substantially as and for the vpurpose set forth.

9. In an electric railway, the combination, with a casing G, formed with a chamber 7, a shaft 9, extending across said chamber, and a pick-up lever S, mounted fast thereon and located within the chamber, the said shaft formed with a recess 14 in one end thereof, of a switch-box mounted upon the recessed end of the said shaft, and a switch therein which is opened and closed by the turning of the switch-box in response to the movements of the pick-up lever, and a branch conductor extending from a main to the pick-up lever and passing through the said recess 14 of the shaft 9, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 10. In an electric railway, the combination, with a swinging pick-up lever, of a switchbox 2l, rotating therewith, and a switch within the box comprising a fixed contact, such as 33, and a swinging contact-arm 29, carrying a contact, such as 3l, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In an electric railway, the combination, with a swinging pick-up lever 8, of the switchbox 2l, rotating therewith, and the switch within the switch-box, comprising a fixed contact 33 and a swinging contact-arm 29, provided with a contact. 31, a shaft 17, upon which the said arm 29 is mounted, a spring 37, secured to the said arm 29, and a screwy 39, engaging the spring and secured to the end of the shaft 17 for electrically connecting the arm 29 with said shaft, substantially as and forV the purpose set forth.

12. In an electric railway, the combination, with a casing 6, formed with a chamber 7, a shaft 9, mounted across the said chamber and formed at one end with arecess 14, and a pickup lever 8, mounted fast upon said shaft, of a switch-box 2l, mounted upon the recessed end of the said shaft and formed with a central opening in alignment with the recess 14 of the shaft, a water-tight plug l5, placed through the said opening in the switch-box and extendinginto t-he recess 14, and abranch conductor extending from the main into the said recess 14 of the shaft and through the plug 15 and thence from the switch-box back through the plug into the said recess and out through the shaft to the said pick-up lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 10th day of November, 1890, in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK MANSFIELD.

IVitnesses:

W. C. JORDAN, CHAs. OREILLY.

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